Question of the day
Wednesday, Jun 9, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Columbus Dispatch…
In a packed hearing room at the Ohio Statehouse, Republican lawmakers gave the microphone to a known conspiracy theorist who has spread misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.
Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, a physician licensed in Ohio and author of “Saying No to Vaccines,” shared her views, promoted her credentials and fielded questions for more than 45 minutes during a House Health Committee hearing on House Bill 248.
“I’m sure you’ve seen the pictures all over the internet of people who have had these shots and now they’re magnetized,” Tenpenny, of Middleburg Heights in Cuyahoga County, said. “You can put a key on their forehead, it sticks. You can put spoons and forks all over and they can stick because now we think there is a metal piece to that.”
Local react…
* The Question: What is the weirdest conspiracy theory you’ve heard since the pandemic began?
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* From a publication called STAT…
State lawmakers in Oregon have tried to lower high drug prices from nearly every angle: They’ve sought to cap how much people can pay for insulin, install a panel that could determine how much state agencies should pay for medicines, and even import drugs in bulk from Canada. Nearly every proposal has failed.
One reason, at least according to the effort’s supporters: Two-thirds of the state legislature accepted at least one campaign check from the drug industry during the 2020 election cycle. The trade group PhRMA, alone, wrote checks to 43 of the legislature’s 90 lawmakers.
It was even more dramatic in Louisiana, where 84% of lawmakers accepted funding from pharmaceutical companies. In California, it was 82%, and in Illinois, 76% of legislators cashed a check.
The campaign contributions are certainly an issue, but we have a lot of pharmaceutical companies in Illinois and, therefore, tons of employees here, which is part of the reason the companies get their way here. Same with insurance companies. Lots of headquarters, lots of employees. Also, most of the contributions were on the small side. Former Sen. Andy Manar received a total of $5,500 last year from three pharma interests, even though he pushed hard for caps on insulin prices. But, that revelation would upend the narrative.
* On to Crain’s…
It may be a new day in Springfield now that Mike Madigan is gone as Illinois House speaker. But certain things never change in politics, including big dollar fundraisers thrown on behalf of key lawmakers.
Coming up this very Wednesday, June 9, is a virtual fundraiser for Emanuel “Chris” Welch, who just finished up his first session as House speaker.
The event is being hosted by Personal PAC, a pro-choice group which has managed to pass much of its agenda into law in recent years but still has one big item remaining. That would be repealing the state’s parental notice law, which requires minors to involve a family member—or a judge—before having an abortion. […]
So, would you be surprised to hear that a measure sponsored by Speaker Welch to repeal the parental notice law is sitting in a House committee and waiting for a vote?
Nice framing, but did anybody think that big-dollar fundraisers would end with Madigan? Also, Welch’s bill, which he has filed before, is currently in the House Rules Committee. It’s still on First Reading. It went nowhere and it’s not currently teed up in the least. The Senate was supposed to take up the bill first, but the chamber never called it for a vote. Welch has been an ally, so of course they’re doing a fundraiser for him.
One other thing, the piece above claims that it’s not specified where the money is going, just that the cash will be “funneled” through ActBlue. I have a couple emails announcing the fundraiser. They both clearly state the contributions are to be made out to “The People for Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch.”
* And, finally, check out this lede…
An Exelon lobbyist is suing on behalf of a former Illinois lawmaker to secure a big payday for some of the same legislators who may soon vote on a massive ratepayer-funded bailout of the utility’s nuclear plants.
Whew.
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Postponement Of Care Leads To Public Health Risk
Wednesday, Jun 9, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
More than two-thirds of Americans surveyed in July 2020 by the Harris Poll on behalf of Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies say they or someone in their household delayed or canceled healthcare services due to COVID-19. Delayed care is even more prevalent among communities of color. In fact, Black and Hispanic adults, people with disabilities, and those with two or more underlying conditions are putting off medical care at higher rates than others. That’s why Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies introduced My Health Can’t Wait Illinois, a public information effort and resource hub designed to help Illinois residents get the information they need to prioritize their health and seek needed care. Learn more at MyHealthCantWait.com/Illinois.
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* Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 408 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 23 additional deaths. In addition, more than 68% of Illinois adults have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose and more than 51% of Illinois adults are fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Adams County: 1 male 80s
- Champaign County: 1 female 80s
- Cook County: 1 male 30s, 1 female 40s, 1 male 40s, 1 female 50s, 1 female 60s, 2 females 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
- DuPage County: 1 male 60s
- Grundy County: 1 male 70s
- Kane County: 1 male 80s
- Macon County: 1 female 80s
- Madison County: 1 female 70s
- McLean County: 1 female 60s
- Rock Island County: 1female70s, 1 male 70s
- Tazewell County: 1 female 80s
- Vermilion County: 1 male 50s
- Winnebago County: 1 male 50s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,386,262 cases, including 22,997 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 41,758 specimens for a total of 24,991,516. As of last night, 797 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 209 patients were in the ICU and 109 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from June 2-8, 2021 is 1.0%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from June 2-8, 2021 is 1.3%.
A total of 11,759,105 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 45,852 doses. Yesterday, 50,231 doses were reported administered in Illinois.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
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* Back in 2018, JB Pritzker’s campaign launched what it called Blue Wave Illinois. The multi-million-dollar effort was designed to support down-ballot candidates and political organizations.
Pritzker’s folks had hoped to have control of the state party by now, but that didn’t happen and the party is still unable to raise or spend “soft” state campaign dollars, so they’re getting the band back together. Quentin Fulks…
Governor Pritzker has been committed to ensuring Democrats up and down the ballot are able to run competitive races his entire life. He’s excited to relaunch Blue Wave to help turn out voters and make sure democratic candidates across Illinois have the resources necessary to win. Together we can keep moving Illinois in the right direction and rebuild an economy that works for everyone.
Fulks said this is a “seven-figure investment in digital and paid media.” The “in real life” ads will include billboards. The website is here.
* Some examples that Fulks sent over…
And, to think, a few days ago some Chicago reporters were actually questioning whether he was running again, with one blaming his alleged indecision on his spouse.
Sheesh.
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* Filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois…
Plaintiffs bring this lawsuit to protect the fundamental rights of Illinois voters and to invalidate the state legislative redistricting plan passed by the Illinois General Assembly on May 28, 2021 and signed into law by Governor Pritzker on June 4, 2021 (the “Redistricting Plan” or “Plan”). In its zeal to rush a plan through the legislature, the General Assembly drew the legislative districts in the Plan using population estimates derived from a survey rather than waiting a few months for the U.S. Census Bureau (the “Census Bureau” or “Bureau”) to provide redistricting data containing official population counts from the 2020 decennial census. Plaintiffs seek a declaration that the Plan is unconstitutional, invalid, and thus void ab initio. Plaintiffs also seek an order directing Defendants Emanuel Christopher Welch and Don Harmon to appoint members to a bipartisan redistricting commission (“Commission”) per Article IV, Section 3 of the Illinois Constitution, or alternatively granting other appropriate relief that allows for the drafting and implementation of a redistricting plan based on the official 2020 decennial census counts, including appointing a Special Master to draft a valid and lawful redistricting plan. […]
Because it uses ACS estimates for population data, the Redistricting Plan does not ensure that the Senate and Representative Districts satisfy the constitutional mandate of substantially equal populations […]
Because the legislative districts in the Plan were drawn using ACS estimates and unspecified “election data,” the districts cannot and do not satisfy the constitutional requirement of substantial population equality. The use of ACS estimates for the Redistricting Plan, among other issues, also renders the Plan arbitrary and discriminatory. For these reasons, the Court should declare the Redistricting Plan unconstitutional, invalid, and thus void ab initio and order Defendants to cooperate with the creation of a bipartisan legislative redistricting Commission. […]
Plaintiffs request a three-judge trial court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2284(a) and Rule 9.1 of the Local Rules for the Northern District of Illinois because this action challenges the constitutionality of the apportionment of a statewide legislative body.
Click here to read the rest.
…Adding… Press release…
Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) and Illinois Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) filed a lawsuit today in federal court to challenge the legislative maps drawn and passed by Illinois Democrats in the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker. The lawsuit is being filed against Illinois House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch (in his official capacity), Illinois Senate President Don Harmon (in his official capacity), the offices of the Speaker of the House and the Senate President, and the Illinois State Board of Elections and its members (in their official capacities).
“Today’s filing should come as no surprise to Illinoisans. The partisan process upon which the legislative maps were drawn flies in the face of the strong recommendations made by countless advocacy groups and citizens who testified at the redistricting hearings,” Leader Durkin said. “The tone deaf Democratic party of Illinois has robbed citizens of a fair and transparent legislative map-making process, and I plan to be a conduit for Illinois citizens who demand honesty by ensuring they also have their day in court.”
The lawsuit argues that the use of American Community Survey (ACS) estimates violates the federal law, including well established “one-person, one-vote” principles under the U.S. Constitution. More than 50 good government and community advocacy organizations and leaders implored the General Assembly to wait for the release of official census counts, which are expected by August 16, 2021. The use of ACS estimates will undercount minority, rural and growing communities and will result in a population disparity between districts that exceeds what federal law allows. Even the U.S. Census Bureau has said that ACS estimates are not appropriate for drawing legislative boundaries.
“Today we are entering court on behalf of the thousands of families, small business owners, workers, and taxpayers who said they wanted an independently drawn map, not the one handed down by political insiders desperately clinging to power,” said Illinois Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods). “We believe this is our best option to advocate for the 75 percent of voters who were refused an independent process and a map created with accurate data. More than 50 independent groups asked the legislature not to use American Community Survey sampling estimates, and instead wait for the actual Census counts to be released, but the politicians in power ignored them. ACS estimates have never before been used for redistricting in Illinois, and we plan to challenge the legitimacy of these maps to the fullest extent of the law.”
The lawsuit requests that the court declare the Democrats’ plan to be unconstitutional, invalid, and void ab initio. The lawsuit also requests that the court direct Speaker Welch and President Harmon to make their appointments to the Illinois Legislative Redistricting Commission as required by the Illinois Constitution. That commission has been used in every redistricting cycle but one since the constitution’s adoption in 1970. Leaders Durkin and McConchie will make their appointments soon and have pledged to work with those commissioners and the Democratic Leaders to adopt a transparent, bipartisan and independent process for drawing and approving a legislative map after the release of official census data in August.
…Adding… A commenter mentioned this passage in the lawsuit…
Comparisons using historical data also demonstrate the problems inherent in using ACS estimates for redistricting. Experts have run comparisons of computer-generated plans drawn using the 2005-2009 ACS estimates, which show that the use of ACS estimates inevitably results in population disparities well in excess of 10%. Among a thousand computer-generated plans drawn using the 2005-2009 ACS estimates, while controlling for compactness and majority-minority districts, not a single plan had a maximum population deviation within 10% when subsequently analyzed against the 2010 census counts. Instead, the plans based on ACS estimates showed maximum population deviations that were generally between 23% and 55%, far beyond the constitutional limits.
That’s fascinating, but there’s no footnote to explain what experts these are or how the computer-generated plans were developed and what they’re basing the comparison on, since there’s no available census data.
…Adding… Press release…
The statement below can be attributed to Sen. Omar Aquino, D-Chicago, Chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee, and Sen. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, Vice Chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee:
“It is disappointing but not surprising Republicans would seek to strike down these new maps, which reflect the great racial and geographic diversity of our state. Throughout this process, they have done nothing but delay and obstruct efforts to ensure our communities are fairly represented, as seen by their refusal to even draft their own proposals. We stand by our work to ensure everyone has a voice in state government.”
…Adding… Press release…
Leader Hernandez’s Statement Regarding Republican Effort To Block Maps Reflective of Diversity of Illinois
“As expected, the Republicans are doing everything in their power to block a map that reflects the true diversity of Illinois in hopes that they get a chance to single handedly draw a map for their political gain,” said Rep. Lisa Hernandez, Chair of the House Redistricting Committee. “Republicans in the House have done nothing but attempt to obstruct this citizen-driven process. They’ve staged charades for the media while spending well over $500,000 of taxpayer money out of their redistricting budget, but couldn’t even bother to submit their own proposals to be considered. This is just another disappointing waste of taxpayer dollars, but not at all surprising. We have full confidence in the maps passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Pritzker, and we will continue to review this lawsuit.”
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* Tribune…
With a sprawling political corruption investigation drawing ever closer to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, the Tribune has learned that a Chicago alderman cooperating with the government secretly made audio and video recordings of the once-powerful politician on a variety of topics.
Then-25th Ward Ald. Daniel Solis recorded Madigan on numerous occasions as the speaker allegedly sought business for his private law firm, two sources with knowledge of the probe said.
Among their discussions was a plan to turn a state-owned parcel of land in Chinatown into a commercial development. Though the land deal never was consummated, it’s been a source of continued interest for federal investigators, who last year subpoenaed Madigan’s office for records and communications he’d had with key players. At least one of them recently appeared before the grand jury investigating Madigan’s political operation, sources told the Tribune.
In the ensuing months, Solis recorded Madigan talking with another developer about potential real estate deals, the sources said. He also wired up on a number of colleagues at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, which his sister, Patti Solis Doyle, had helped organize and where Madigan led the Illinois delegation, according to court records and sources.
The Solis recordings of Madigan, which have not been reported before, add to the public’s understanding of the long-running federal probe. When Solis was first approached by federal investigators five years ago, for example, it wasn’t Ald. Edward Burke who was in their sights, but Madigan.
And that’s pretty much the extent of the new stuff in the story. The G was trying to get Madigan five years ago. Nothing has yet come of it despite Burke’s indictment and indictments all around Madigan on other topics. And somebody is leaking again for some reason.
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Return roundup
Wednesday, Jun 9, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WCIA…
The Illinois House of Representatives and the Senate will be returning only a couple of weeks after their session was supposed to end.
The two chambers will be voting on a clean energy bill that couldn’t get the votes before May 31st.
“This is a landmark clean energy plan that both protects thousands of jobs and moves Illinois responsibly toward the future,” said Illinois Senate President Don Harmon.
A final version of the clean energy plan never surfaced during session. Negotiations fell apart at the last minute over the deadline being set for coal plants to shut down.
* Tribune…
An eleventh-hour disagreement over whether the Prairie State Generating Station in southern Illinois and a city-owned power plant in Springfield should be exempted from deadlines for shutting down coal-fired power plants by 2035 temporarily scuttled the compromise.
There were concerns, particularly among some Senate Democrats, about outstanding bond debt on the Prairie State facility held by municipal utilities, including in Batavia, Geneva, Naperville, St. Charles and Winnetka.
Pritzker’s office said he would not sign a bill that includes such an exemption, and lawmakers involved in the negotiations said the issue remains unsettled.
* Sun-Times…
Along with that legislation, lawmakers in the House are likely to debate and pass legislation that would create a partially elected school board.
Welch, who supports an elected school board, has already predicted that a measure creating a 21-member board will pass the state’s lower legislative chamber.
“I like the bill because it’s a move towards a fully-elected school board,” Welch told the Chicago Sun-Times last week. “I believe in more democracy — not less. I’m a product of an elected school board and believe that elections work.”
The Senate voted 36 to 15, with two voting present, to advance that bill, which must head back to the House where it needs a three-fifths majority to take effect within the next year.
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LIG, reformers speak out against ethics bill
Wednesday, Jun 9, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Ben Szalinski at the SJ-R…
After lawmakers passed bipartisan ethics legislation last month that included changes to the state’s legislative inspector general office, Carol Pope says the bill might actually make the job more difficult.
“There are a couple changes that make it more difficult to open an investigation,” said Pope, the state’s current legislative inspector general.
The major change for the LIG under Senate Bill 539, a bipartisan ethics compromise between members in the House and Senate, would no longer require Pope to receive permission from a panel of eight lawmakers before opening an investigation into a lawmaker or legislative branch employee.
“That’s the only tidbit I got,” Pope said. “The rest is rather negative if you ask me.”
* Speaking of the bill…
Reform For Illinois Executive Director Alisa Kaplan urged the governor to strengthen the reforms with an amendatory veto.
“Show us you were serious when you said there was a need for reform and that you wanted to get it done and use the powers you have as governor to strengthen this bill,” Kaplan said. “We’ve waited long enough. The people of Illinois have waited long enough for real reform.” […]
Kaplan said Illinoisans shouldn’t accept excuses.
“When are they going to do it?” Kaplan said. “We just had Tim Mapes indicted right before they passed this bill. What more do we have to see happen before they really get serious about reform.”
* And in other news, it’s not every day that one is quoted in the Wall Street Journal, even if it is the editorial page and even if there was no attribution…
J.B. Pritzker didn’t say “read my lips” in 2018 when he promised the people of Illinois he wouldn’t sign onto a partisan redistricting if elected Governor. Specifically, he promised to veto any redistricting map “drafted or created by legislators, political party leaders and/or their staffs or allies.” But on Friday he broke that promise, and it will now take its rightful place in the annals of political whoppers beside George H.W. Bush’s famous pledge not to raise taxes.
The new map diminishes the already diminished Republican presence in Springfield. Fourteen Republican-held seats in the state house will be squeezed into seven, for example, guaranteeing a loss of at least seven GOP incumbents. No Democratic incumbents will lose seats as a result of a combined new district. It also redraws the boundaries for the state’s Supreme Court for the first time since 1964—an effort to maintain the 4-3 Democratic majority on what is an elected court.
Adding to the wholly politicized nature of the effort is that redistricting is supposed to be done based on the latest Census results. But because of Covid-19, the results won’t come in time to meet the state constitutional deadline of June 30. The state provides for this—a bipartisan, eight-member commission would then take charge—but Democrats went ahead with less reliable and detailed data.
Last week we gave Mr. Pritzker the benefit of the doubt that he might keep his word, but we have relearned the eternal lesson: Never trust a politician.
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Lightfoot gonna Lightfoot
Wednesday, Jun 9, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
As Mayor Lori Lightfoot marked her two-year anniversary in office last month, the Tribune’s Gregory Pratt wrote that “the mayor has at times struggled to translate her political goals into policy wins” and noted that City Clerk Anna Valencia made the same point to Lightfoot in an email.
“I shared my fines and fees platform with you, that my team built and had been working on since November of 2018, which handed you your first win with community groups,” Valencia said in the email, which also complained that Lightfoot hired away her communications director. “I’ve kept community group relationships healthy for you in the Fines and Fees Collaborative, smoothed over ruffled feathers when they felt as if your office was stonewalling them or ignoring them.”
This week, Pratt obtained a copy of Lightfoot’s response to Valencia, wherein she denied poaching staff and criticized the clerk right back.
“And Anna, don’t send me again an unhinged screed, dredging up every petty grievance, real or imagined,” Lightfoot wrote. “If you have an issue, pick up the phone and call me, instead of writing a bunch of accusatory nonsense where you got everything wrong except she accepted a job. Be a professional.”
* Meanwhile…
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Tuesday she doesn’t need a front-page headline in the Chicago Sun-Times to tell her kids are being gunned down on the streets of the city.
“It hits me every day. … I reach out to those families. I hear the heartbreak. I spend time with moms and dads who’ve lost toddlers, who’ve lost kids my daughter’s age,” Lightfoot said.
“As a parent, every time I see something like that happen, I grieve deeply. The first thought it, there but for the grace of God go I. We can’t exist in a world where kids aren’t safe in their own community and that they’re not safe from other young people in their own community.”
The Sun-Times reported Tuesday children in Chicago are dying from gun violence at a rate three times higher than last year.
“I don’t need a Sun-Times article to tell me that,” Lightfoot said Tuesday. “I see those numbers every day.”
* Fox 32…
“If you look at our numbers year over year, month over month, we’re actually trending in the right direction,” Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Tuesday.
Mayor Lightfoot made a startling claim after the Sun-Times reported a huge increase in the number of Chicago children wounded or killed by guns.
Street violence dipped a bit on Memorial Day weekend, but 2021 so far is Chicago’s bloodiest year in more than a decade.
The number of kids under age 15 killed by gunfire has tripled this year, according to the Sun-Times study, with a 21% spike in the total of children shot.
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Bailey produces a rifled twist on the Bost toss
Wednesday, Jun 9, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* If you need a scope to hit a target that big with ammo that powerful, then maybe guns just aren’t for you…
My Thoughts on the Pork-filled Illinois Democrat Budget
We made our first Tik Tok video to deliver an important message about the pork-filled Democrat budget that increases spending, increases taxes, and makes it harder for Illinoisans to invest, live, work and stay in Illinois. It’s time to turn things around. I support a zero-based budget where every department makes a case for every dollar spent to provide accountability. I also support identifying and eliminating unfunded mandates that increase property taxes and make it harder for working families. As your next Governor, we will get it done. #standingwithyouin2022
Posted by Darren Bailey for Governor on Saturday, June 5, 2021
Alternate headline: “And the only prescription is more cowbell.”
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Open thread
Wednesday, Jun 9, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Ouch…
What are you thinking about today?
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